What’s the Buzz in Your Business?

Happy Friday!  I am getting ready for my last party/fundraiser before I start packing for Thirty One’s National Conference in Columbus next week.  We have already seen the Fall catalog BUT I know there will be some more surprises when we get to conference.  I have been thinking about the many uses of our products and how best to showcase them as we get ready for the Fall.  If you are in direct sales, you know the many features and benefits of your products but do you really just want to run down a list for your potential customers.  UGH!  Boring!  I know with a new catalog season, people will be talking anyway but we don’t want them to get bored or only thing a product has one use, right?

Here are some ideas on how to make your product seem more desirable:

Get people talking.  My customers are actually the ones who give me incredible ideas on different ways to use our products.  Then I just start posting them through social media.  I share videos from our Home Office to create a buzz.  Fun pictures or memes in my VIP Facebook group create interest and get my customers talking.  

Skip the long features list.  BORING!  Listen to what your potential customer is telling you about her life and then highlight the products and features of interest to her. Sharing information that is relevant to your potential customer is the key.

       

The same product with 2 different features – organizing your car or your bathroom.

Highlight ease of use.  The easier and more practical a product is to use, the more valuable it will be in the eyes of the customer.  For example, they like our large utility tote, let’s see the options that show its versatility:

Here are just 3 ways to use our large utility tote.

Offer a test drive.  Potential customers love to try it before they buy it.  I find this especially true if a customer is looking for a product to do a specific task.  I offer a PRODUCT EXPERIENCE.  This is NOT a party but a one-on-one with the customer to try out their vision.  How many times have you bought something because you envisioned it doing XYZ in a closet, on a wall,etc. only to find out that it doesn’t fit or it isn’t what you envisioned?  Why go through all of that trouble?  Do a test drive… if it doesn’t work, there is nothing lost but about an hour of your time.  It is does, GREAT!

What are your best tips for making your products desirable to your customers?  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

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Do You Have a Command Center?

Happy Monday!  For many it is a holiday, off from work for President’s Day along with the kids.

Quick question, have you ever wished for one central spot to keep the kids and you organized?  I mean besides the pile on the kitchen counter or table when the kids unpack their bags from school?  Maybe you have a basket where everything gets dropped?

If you are like me, usually something gets lost in the “pile”.  Or something never makes it to the pile so it never gets done.  What if you had one spot for everything?

Does your refrigerator look like this?  Notes and lists everywhere.  Mine isn’t this neat and as a result, you guessed it, things get lost.

As women, we need to fulfill many roles and take care of many responsibilities in our families.  Everyone looks to us to keep them on track.

A Control Center is the communication center for your family where you keep track of all activities, as well as the plan for managing your household. It is in one central location so everyone knows the plan.  Each control center may be different BUT the common elements are:

Calendar:  to keep track of appointments, doctor’s appointments, music lessons, sports practices/games and family social events.  We have one on the fridge but the information never seems to make it past my planner or the calendar on our phones.

Meal Plan – A weekly meal plan will not only help you get dinner on the table but will save you time and money as well.  Since it is just hubby and I, there is not meal plan.  LOL.  I cook on Monday and Tuesday for the week for him and freeze.  A meal plan allows the kids to pitch in and help to get things ready.

Grocery List – Keep a grocery list on your fridge so you can mark when you are about to run out of items.  We use a wipe board and add to it as needed which is a HUGE help when it comes time to grocery shop.

Kid Plan – Chore charts and lists with morning, afternoon and evening routines will help to keep kids on track.

Household To Do List – Keep a list of home projects to be done such as seasonal cleaning and repairs.  

This is also a good spot for Emergency information for babysitters.  A list of phone numbers for neighbors is good to in case your children need to call them.

The Oh Snap Pockets by Thirty One are perfect for kids papers or to keep forms handy.  They can be personalized for tasks or for individuals OR you the chalk front which is easily wipeable to change as needed.  The Oh Snap Bins are great for keys or your cell phone.

The key to a successful system is to keep it as simple as possible.  Too many steps or ‘over-organizing’ can be a waste time.  Choose your most basic, essential needs and skip unnecessary elements.

Not a lot of space, how about the NEW Hang-It Pocket Organizer.  Get organized in the mudroom, office or playroom with this five-pocket organizer.  It can be tied on a door or hung on the wall. Extra-roomy pockets are great for craft supplies, file folders or even kids’ toys. Pair it with our Wall Together collection for the ultimate wall storage solution!

Printables are courtesy of The Peaceful Mom.  Be sure to check out her blog for more tips, tricks and printables.

My essentials in our control center is a calendar and the grocery list.   Choose what works for you.  What would you include?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

National Get Organized Week

Did you know that this week was National Get Organized Week?  This week was originally created by The National Association of Professional Organizers to focus on the benefits of getting organized along with some techniques. They have since gone to January because most people have “get organized” as ONE of their New Year’s Resolutions.

I am old school and remember October as being “fall cleaning” when I was growing up.  In fact my mom still does this.  It was when we cleaned the house top to bottom, over furniture, stored away  summer clothes and brought the dreaded winter clothes out of storage.  So, if your goal at the beginning of the year was “to get organized” now is a great time to finish up the year reaching that goal (if you haven’t already).  Take this week to simplify your life and make it more manageable by getting organized.

I read a quote by a fellow blogger, Cheryl Richardson who is a spirituality and self-help author. Does this sound like your office (or house):

“Stuff has tentacles. Every pile of paper, cluttered counter, or disorganized closet is filled with items that have cords attached to them. These cords reach out and suck the energy from us whether we’re near the stuff or not.”

GO, right now. Grab a broom, a mop, and a dust bin (that’s old school talk for “trash can”). Roll up your sleeves, put on some rockin’ movin’ music and do this!

Here are some solutions to those organizational problems in your home or your office:

   

I love that you can label things to make it easy for kids (and hubby) to know where to put things away.  Like that is going to happen, right?  The cubes are solid on one side while the other side has a clear opening so you can actually see what is inside.  A great way to  hid things when company comes to visit!

As for your office (or even the home), my BEST tip is:

Touch each piece of paper (or email or mail) only ONCE!

I know, crazy right? The truth is it is possible. I used this system for years in my JOB. It made life so easy. I am not sure why I have such a problem in my home office.

What will help you get organized as we enter the last quarter of 2015?  I am not a professional organizer but I do have some great tips and products that will make your life just a little easier.

Wouldn’t it be nice to call someone and have them come in and just pull together that messy closet or counter space or maybe even your office?  Think of how much more energy you will have when you are not faced with the clutter every day.  Remember, clutter drains your energy. It zaps your creativity too. If there’s more to do, continue the process of decluttering and organizing. Twenty minutes a day is all it takes.

How about a “Product Experience“?  A NO obligation consultation.  I will come in and help you with suggestions for your “hot mess” using things you already have or sharing some of Thirty One’s awesome product.  If you are interested in our product and they meet your needs;   I will help you find the best deal for you. If not, it is okay – I will be grateful for the chance to meet some new people and share the gift of Thirty One.

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Tips On Organizing Your Closet

  

Would’t you like your closet to be neat and organized?  I can remember my mom always talking about “Fall Cleaning”.  This was when we cleaned out the closets and got organized.  They usually didn’t stay that way for long but that was the plan.

The Joyful Organizer is always sharing great tips on getting and staying organized.  I LOVE her goal for the closet – if only it was that easy, right?

The goal of closet organization is simple… Get your clothing, shoes, and accessories in order so that you can get dressed quickly and easily, wearing outfits that you love! 

Here are her top tips for Closet Organization:

1. Start by trying on everything in your closet. This is tedious, however, it is the only way you will really know what fits, what looks great, and is still in good condition.
2. Face all of the hangers in your closet in one direction. As you wear items, have them laundered, and return them to your closet, turn them and face them the other way. This is a great way to separate the clothes you wear from the one’s you don’t.  This is a GREAT idea because I always say “of course I wear everything in here”.
3. Ask yourself the following questions about a garment before deciding to keep it?
   Do I love it?  Is it in good condition?  Does it make me feel great about myself?
   It is in style?  It is comfortable?  Could someone else use it more than me?
4. Take a look to find any wasted space in your closet, and try to maximize it. Consider adding another hanging bar, or shelves close to the top or bottom of the closet. These changes are quick, inexpensive and can add a lot of space to your closet.  I did this when I moved into the condo because the closet space was small.  It really did help.
5. An easy way to make a big difference in your closet is to use hangers that are all the same type. This creates a uniform appearance in your closet. The goal is to have all of your garments hanging at one height, on a hanger that is uniform in width. This way you will never lose clothes by not being able to see them.
6. Use your door space. By adding an organizational tool, like an over the door shoe rack, you can add a significant amount or storage space to your closet. Keep in mind these are also great for scarves, belts, etc.
7. Just like you would sort through your clothes, its important to sort through your shoes. Shoes that are not worn frequently, such as occasion shoes, can be stored in a small plastic box on a shelf in the closet. This keeps them out of the way and also prevents them from getting dusty and beaten up. Again, ask yourself the questions above in Number 3, and make decisions about what shoes to keep.

Organize your closet how it works for you. Some organizers suggest grouping by genre, other suggest grouping by color, and some by outfit. It’s not important how to group items, just make sure it works for you.

If you need some organizational products for your closet (or any area of your home), check out the “For Your Home” by Thirty One.  Need some help in deciding what products work best for your home – try a Product Experience.  Contact me for more details:

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Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Dorm Ready

As many are preparing for their kids to go back to school, some parents are facing sending their kids off to college.  I have to be honest, sending Belinda off to school wasn’t so bad because I knew that she would be home at the end of the school day.  Sending her to college was a whole different ball game.

I thought it would be a piece of cake, of course being a workaholic I thought would make things easier – WRONG!  As we drove to  what seemed like the end of the earth – western North Carolina – I tried to maintain my calm.  Mom was struggling, Belinda was anxious (or maybe it was excitement) about being so far away from home.  On a map, North Carolina didn’t seem so bad.  Twelve hours didn’t seem so long.  Then the reality sunk in as we made that trip for the first time.

Okay, so why I am reminiscing about all of this?   A blog written by The Joyful Organizer called “Dorm Room Ready” – here what they write about our Thirty One products:

Thirty One has some amazing new products that will help you get it together easily and with style.  Their Perfect Fit Organizer is long and flat and has a window so you can see the contents.  I love this for out of season clothes or for items that need a little extra care such as dress shoes or cashmere sweaters.  This also works great under the bed and protects your items from dust and wear.  In a dorm room space is at a premium, this helps you maximize it!  It comes in some great patterns and colors too!

Cubes are a great way to organize just about anything; toys, clothes, accessories or even office supplies.  Thirty One’s Your Way Cube has all the options you want in a cube; handles, a sturdy bottom and even a window so you can see the contents.  It can also be embroidered so when you’re headed off to college, it’s already labeled for you!  Fun patterns and colors mean you can match this to your dorm room style. The tote even has an optional lid to keep the contents protected, contained and dust free.

Thirty One’s Room for Two Utility Tote is perfect for laundry.  It’s light weight and easy to carry back and forth from the laundry room.  When it’s not in use you can fold it up and store it under the bed.  The pattern is easy to distinguish from other’s bags and the flat bottom allows folded clothes to stay folded.  This is a great bag to bring things back and forth to school as well; particularly linens, large winter coats or pillows.  It’s also great for plush toys, linens and beach towels in the summer, you’ll find a thousand uses for this bag.

Need help getting organized at home?  Schedule a Product Experience.  This is your chance to test the products in your own home to see if they will work in the area you want to organize.  Contact me for more details.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

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